Two people stood facing each other with swords in hand.
One of them, a woman with flowing, beautiful black hair, possessed a beauty so captivating that a mere glance from her could instantly enthrall anyone who met it.
However, the man facing her did not seem to be enjoying her beauty. Instead, his expression was grim.
In fact, the man was completely cornered by the woman.
The man, sword in hand, tried to figure out how to attack, but he had no idea what to do.
He unleashed every attack he could think of, but every single one was perfectly defended against.
Moreover, the man was already out of breath, while the woman stood there with a cool expression, not even slightly winded.
It was clear evidence that he was completely outmatched in sheer power.
There was no way they could just keep staring at each other like this.
He had already exhausted every conceivable method.
He abandoned any further thought and, with his gasping body, swung his sword towards his opponent.
Even though he was out of breath, the tip of his sword didn’t falter as he attacked. This was because he had trained to the point where a faltering sword meant certain death.
However, his final, desperate attack was as easily deflected by his opponent as all the others had been.
Riku didn’t even understand how it was being deflected.
He had prided himself on having gained considerable skill through his training and actual combat experience until now, but all that confidence was shattered in an instant during this mock battle.
Still, with his opponent clearly motivated, Riku had no option but to fight on.
After that, he simply charged at his opponent with all his might.
It had been since he first started learning swordsmanship that he had attacked so thoughtlessly.
He moved his hands purely on instinct, yet his opponent blocked every single attack.
His opponent didn’t even allow him to stop.
If Riku tried to cease his offense, his opponent would attack, forcing him to defend.
They couldn’t afford to be purely on the defensive, so Riku was forced to keep attacking.
He knew he was falling into his opponent’s trap, but Riku had no other choice.
Naturally, such reckless recklessness couldn’t continue forever.
Completely out of breath, Riku collapsed onto the spot.
“Hmm. Attacking with your all was better than overthinking it, you know~”
As he heard the voice of the woman… Peach, Riku lost consciousness.
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When Riku opened his eyes, the ceiling that came into view was one he recognized.
“Oh. You’re awake.”
Riku looked towards the source of the voice and saw his mother, Floria.
“Mother… I… no. I am weak.”
Remembering the mock battle that had just concluded, Riku said this with a sigh.
Hearing her son’s words, Floria’s eyes widened as much as they possibly could.
Then, she pressed the tip of her left index finger to her temple.
“…Well, it’s just… I wish you didn’t take after me in *that* aspect, too.”
“Mother?”
Confused and tilting his head, Riku was met with another sigh from Floria.
“I wondered what it was all for, but I see now. It seems I was right to follow your advice in this regard.”
Riku looked up at Floria, who seemed to be talking to herself, from his position lying on the bed.
“You say you are weak? What are you talking about? There are still countless people in this world stronger than you.”
“Is that so…?”
Floria ruffled Riku’s hair with a smile as he replied in a subdued voice.
“Wh-what!? Mother?”
When he was little, she used to do this often, but it had been a long time since she had done it, especially after he entered the academy.
Riku showed a flustered expression, feeling both embarrassment and nostalgia.
Still, Riku did not try to stop Floria’s actions.
“Whether you wallow here and stop growing, or make a renewed effort, it’s up to you. Do as you please.”
“…That’s harsh.”
Although the words could be interpreted as neglect, Floria genuinely meant them, not caring which path Riku chose.
After all, Riku was the one who chose the path of swordsmanship.
She had no intention of forcing him to wield a sword with her words.
Moreover, as his mother, she had no intention of abandoning him even if Riku gave up on being an adventurer.
Riku also understood this, which was why he responded as he did.
“Of course it is. I’m your mother, after all?”
To his mother, who said this with the implication that he wouldn’t give up anyway, Riku could only return a bitter smile.
The reason Riku and Peach had ended up in a mock battle in the first place was because Kousuke had recently noticed something strange about Riku’s behavior.
Riku wasn’t acting arrogant, nor was he proudly proclaiming his strength to others.
Yet, Kousuke’s eyes hadn’t been deceived.
Kousuke, noticing the small emotion that had begun to bloom within Riku, suddenly said to Riku, who had come to the management layer.
“I haven’t seen your skills lately. How about a mock battle with Peach?”
Riku knew Peach well and didn’t expect to win, but he still thought they could have a good match, so he accepted the offer.
However, the result was as described.
It wasn’t even a good match; he couldn’t even gauge the extent of the difference between them.
It could be called a complete defeat.
Riku, still with a bitter smile, suddenly realized something and decided to ask Floria at this opportune moment.
He had wondered about it for a while but never found a suitable occasion to ask.
“By the way, Mother Peach, just how strong is she?”
Floria tilted her head at Riku’s question.
“Hmm? Now, don’t look at me like that. I’m not hiding anything. I truly don’t know either.”
“Really?”
“Ah. I did hear that Peach’s specialty weapon isn’t a sword, but a dagger, though.”
After all, as long as they remained in the management layer, combat rarely occurred.
That said, they weren’t members who would let their guard down, so not only Peach but also the other members continued their training and honed their skills under their respective races.
Therefore, Floria, who spent almost all her time in the management layer, had no grasp of the other members’ true abilities.
The only one she had some idea about was probably Silvia, who was training in the management layer.
Still, because there was no clear standard for measuring a shrine maiden’s strength, she could only provide a rough estimate.
Hearing Floria’s explanation, Riku blinked.
“You’ve managed to live without any problems despite that?”
Riku found it hard to believe that they lived their daily lives without giving any thought to the strength of others, especially their combat prowess.
While this might be understandable between ordinary humans with no combat experience, for those with even a moderate level of power, assessing their opponent was a natural thing to do.
Of course, there were a few individuals who would act foolishly and rashly, but the members of the management layer would never do something so foolish.
Thus, Riku’s question was understandable, but there was a simple reason behind it.
“What are you talking about? With Kouhi and Mitsuki in the management layer, what need is there for strength?”
“…Ah.”
Floria cast a look of exasperation at Riku, who suddenly recalled something as if just realizing it.
As long as Kouhi and Mitsuki were present with their overwhelming strength, there would be no serious disputes within the management layer.
Naturally, minor quarrels and scuffles might occur, but they never escalated into serious situations.
There had never been an instance where Kouhi or Mitsuki had to demonstrate their strength, yet the fact that they were ultimately there prevented any violent incidents from occurring in the management layer.
Riku, shown this by Floria, finally understood the abnormality of the members in the management layer.
Floria herself, as well as the other members, possessed abilities that could place them at the top in their respective fields.
These were the female members of the management layer.
Riku, recognizing this once again, felt a sense of respect for his father, who was surrounded by such extraordinarily talented women, in many ways.
Riku had also become a figure of some standing among adventurers.
He had naturally become a leader-like figure among the younger generation.
It wasn’t that he had become arrogant, but Kousuke had subtly noticed this change.
